“What can he do even if he can’t stand it? Right now, the Gibson family—both Spencer and Nancy—are under the Yarbrough family’s control. If Spencer dares to lose his temper, things will only get worse for them.” “Luke is such an idiot. What if Spencer clears his name one day? He’ll be doomed.” “Haven’t you noticed that the Yarbrough family hasn’t stopped him? If they hadn’t given him the green light, Luke wouldn’t have the guts to act this boldly.” … Seeing Spencer’s face darken, Luke’s smirk widened. Acting oblivious to the growing tension, he raised his voice. “I’m sure everyone here would love to hear Mr. Walker’s valuable insights, wouldn’t they?” He then shot a look at a few of his close associates in the crowd. They immediately caught his meaning and began cheering in agreement. Spencer’s fist clenched, and in one swift motion, he pushed back his chair, ready to stand up. Nancy quickly reached out and pressed a hand on his, holding him back. She gave his hand a reassuring pat, silently telling him to stay calm. Nancy’s smile remained unchanged, unbothered by the mockery. Instead of showing anger, she gracefully lifted the hem of her gown and actually stepped onto the stage. Luke, the Yarbrough family, and the entire audience stared at her in shock. They never expected her to actually go up there! Was she really not afraid of being humiliated? Or… did she have something up her sleeve? As Nancy stood under the spotlight, her expression poised and relaxed, Luke and the Yarbroughs suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of unease. But they quickly dismissed the thought. Impossible. She had lost the bid. Everyone knew what that meant for the Gibson family.There was no way she had an ace up her sleeve. She must just be putting on a brave face. That had to be it. Nancy scanned the crowd, her gaze briefly lingering on the Yarbrough family. The moment she saw their smug, gloating expressions, her smile deepened. But instead of playing along with Luke’s request, she completely ignored his topic and chose to speak on something else. Her voice was clear and warm, and combined with her poised demeanor, she owned the stage like it was meant for her. “My husband and I are actually quite happy to be here tonight.” The crowd froze. Happy? They were here to be humiliated, and she was saying she was happy? No one in the room was stupid. They all knew exactly why the Yarbroughs had invited the Gibsons tonight. The Yarbrough family members and Luke exchanged puzzled glances. What is she playing at? Still smiling, Nancy continued, now even more delighted about what she was about to say next. “Today is an important day—it’s the day SAT results were released. I imagine many of you here have children who either took the exam this year or will be taking it soon.” The Yarbroughs frowned slightly at this abrupt shift in topic. The audience also blinked in surprise. It was SAT results day. Many of them had children who had taken the exam, and some were still reeling from the morning’s results—whether with pride or disappointment. Nancy kept going.“My daughter Ashley and her boyfriend, my future son-in-law, Arthur, both took the SATs this year. And today, their results came out.” She paused, her tone growing noticeably prouder. “To my great joy, Arthur scored first place in the entire country! And my daughter Ashley also made us incredibly proud—she placed third nationwide!” Nancy’s voice was filled with genuine excitement, making it clear just how thrilled she was. The room fell into stunned silence. Then— Thunderous applause erupted. Some guests had briefly skimmed the rankings earlier, and now they replayed the names in their heads. Others pulled out their phones on the spot to check. “It’s true! It’s really them!” “Arthur! National first place! Ashley! National third place!” “Damn! The top three ranks were taken by their family!” “Incredible! Who would’ve thought? That kid actually scored that high!” “We seriously underestimated him.” “I remember when my son placed first in the city—we were over the moon for months! But Arthur got first in the entire country! That’s insane!” “I hope my daughter can score this well on the SATs one day.” “The SATs are fiercely competitive. Anyone who ranks first nationwide is no ordinary person.” … Most of the people present were parents. National first place wasn’t just an achievement—it was a dream, one that most wouldn’t even dare to hope for.